It has all the hands-on traits of the sport of chilli-crabbing – cracking, picking, chewing and sucking.

The dish of blue swimmer crabs, or muddies, may be a quick stir fry, but the cook fight between the two nations will take a lot of tossing and stirring.

What has been a private pleasure has become a highly public crabby affair since Malaysia last week claimed ownership rights to chilli crab that is regarded as Singapore’s unofficial national dish.

Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen has claimed that chilli crab, Hainanese chicken rice, nasi lemak, laksa and bak kut teh were all created in Malaysia but have been hijacked by other countries.

“We cannot continue to let other countries hijack our food,” she was quoted as saying in a newspaper report, though not identifying the countries that had “hijacked” the dishes.

How the government intends to brand these dishes as Malaysian remains a “secret recipe”.

First to react was the son of Cher Yam Tian, said to have “invented” the Singapore chilli crab.

Ronald Lim, 52, owner of Roland Restaurant, was quoted in the New Paper: “I have never heard anyone talk about Malaysian chilli crab.”

Restaurateurs here did not dispute that.

Lim, 52, stated: “I’ve never been so shocked in my life. Chilli crab has been around for 59 years. Why did they (Malaysia) suddenly claim that it’s theirs?”

Others in Singapore food industry are also upset over Malaysia staking claim to local favourites, according to the paper that also carried out a poll whether Singapore should claim its own dishes to prevent other countries hijacking them.

Malaysians, too, responding to a Malay Mail report last Friday, had said our move to declare the said dishes as national heritage was silly and acrimonious.

The majority who posted their comments on www.mmail.com.my said it’s okay to boast about our local food, but to stake a claim legally is nonsensical.

Said chef Ray Heong: “You can expect others to pull out the crab claw cracker and pick to crush Malaysia’s claim to chilli crab.

“The dish is practically an institution in Singapore today, having won accolades from locals and at international food festivals.”

Heong said the other dishes on Ng’s hit list will also likely cook up a storm “as there should never be political divide over food”.

He has doubts if Hainanese chicken rice is truly Malaysian as its origins were from Hainan island in China.

“Just as the Indians brought in roti prata, the Hainanese brought along the chicken rice with them when they migrated to Malaya, which included Singapore at the time,” he said, noting that there are several versions of the dish.

Restaurateur Lee Tiong Nam pointed out that although Hainanese chicken has been aggressively promoted
as an iconic culinary in the republic, “I don’t know Singapore to have claimed it as theirs although I must say the best are there."

THE CHILLI CRAB STORY

1950: One day, Madam Cher Yam Tian (now aged 78) was cooking crabs with some tomato ketchup when her husband suggested, “Why not put in some chilli sauce to add spice?” She did just that. It was an instant hit.

1956: They set up an itinerant pushcart with only two tables and two stools next to the beach along Upper East Coast Road, in pre-reclamation Singapore.

1963: The Lims open a restaurant at 514 Upper East Coast Road. They call it Palm Beach restaurant

1984: They sell the restaurant to another seafood chain and leave to live in semi-retirement
in New Zealand

2000: Madam Cher’s son, Roland Lim, opens Roland Restaurant in Singapore. Madam Cher comes back to help him.

(Source: New Paper, Singapore)